Fall is the perfect time of year for regular service. With the change in temperatures and weather as well as wear and tear from the summer, your car will be ready for some maintenance. Not only will service help reduce the risk of breakdowns, but it can even extend the life of your car.

According to Bankrate, one of the best fall maintenance tips is to get an oil change. The average driver will need an oil change every six months or 7,500 miles. Americans tend to drive around 12,000 miles every year, so that means that you should change your oil about twice a year.

You should also consider checking tire pressure. Tires can lose air as the temperature decreases. In fact, around every one-degree dip in temperature leads to a loss of about one psi. Under-inflated tires can cause friction when driving, leading to added wear and tear. If it is bad enough, it can even cause fuel economy to decrease.

Make sure to get some new wipers in the fall. With winter right around the corner, you don’t want to wait before it’s too late. You should also check your fluids and top them off if necessary, including wiper fluid.

These are three of the best things you can do to prepare for the fall. For all your maintenance needs, be sure to stop by Bill Roberts Chevrolet Buick.

General Motors released Magnetic Ride Control over a decade ago and it stands as one of the most advanced suspension systems currently on the road. However, despite being one of the most advanced technologies in today’s vehicles, it’s fairly simple to explain. Let us here at Bill Roberts Chevrolet walk you through how Magnetic Ride Control works.

Known as the fastest reacting suspension system around the globe, Magnetic Ride Control makes every ride a smooth one. The shock absorbers are filled with a unique polymer fluid that includes magnetized iron particles. Electromagnetic coils wrap around the shock absorbers and, when they detect an electric charge, the polymer fluid can change from a free-flowing state to a rubber-like density in a split second.

An Electronic Control Unit and sensors read the road conditions as many as 1,000 times per second and adjust the system accordingly. Capable of detecting every crack, bump, and pothole as the car hits it, Magnetic Ride Control adjusts instantaneously, effectively providing a smoother ride, less vibration, and improved handling.

That combination makes Magnetic Ride Control perfect for almost any terrain. Track-oriented vehicles benefit from improved handling while cruising on country roads are as smooth as can be. First debuting on the 2002 Cadillac Seville STS, Magnetic Ride Control is bound to stick around for years to come.

It’s no secret Chevrolet hasn’t been doing too hot in the Chinese automotive market, also known as the largest automotive market in the world. Sales are down, but parent General Motors is ready to kick off a new phase of growth in the country. Five new (or majorly upgraded) Chevrolet vehicles are planned to launch in the second half of 2016 and some have already hit the market.

The new Chevrolet Cruze XL and Malibu XL launched earlier this year and officially kicked off the new phase. There’s still plenty more to come as well.

According to GM Authority, two of the new vehicles will be an SUV and a performance vehicle. Both of those models will launch in North America as well as China, giving us here in the States something to look forward to as well.

A rebadged Cavalier has already been announced as well, but there’s no clarification if it counts as one of the five new vehicles. That model will take the place of the previous Cruze, and has already begun to do so, since it has now begun to roll off of dealership lots.

It’s the middle of summer and many drivers are feeling the heat. While some drivers can take the miserable temperatures with a smile, others just can’t take it. As a result, cooling off your car is the only option. There are a few obvious ways, like cracking the windows, which can help lower your car’s interior temperature, but it can’t defeat the sun. Here at Bill Roberts Chevrolet, we have some tips for cooling off your car.

Oil – There’s more to a fresh oil change than meets the eye. While it will help your engine run more efficiently, fresh oil will also help lower the engine’s temperature. One of oil’s major benefits is that it carries away some of the excess heat generated by the explosions within the cylinders. In short, fresh oil means a cooler car.

Coolant – Did the name give it away? Coolant is responsible for keeping your engine cool. Also known as antifreeze, coolant levels can cause all sorts of problems if your car is running low. Make sure to top it off according to your owner’s manual!

Ice Packs – For those with malfunctioning air conditioning, attaching an ice pack to the dashboard vents can work wonders. The ice pack will chill the air as it exits the vent, effectively replicating air conditioning.

Do you have tips for cooling down your car? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

With Australia’s Holden Commodore scheduled to leave the production line next year, the Chevrolet SS is flying its colors for the final time. The 2017 model year will see the last of the SS, but it looks like Chevrolet is giving it a final send off the only way the automaker knows how: if rumors are true, the 2017 Chevrolet SS could see a supercharged engine.

Word has it that the final Chevrolet SS could see the same 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine as the fifth generation Camaro ZL1. While the luxury car isn’t selling in massive numbers, it does offer one of the most power-packed rides a driver can find.

The current Chevrolet SS offers a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine that puts out 415 hp. If Chevrolet does add the 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V8 engine, the final SS could see up to 580 hp under the hood. While the SS offers a design similar to that of the more popular Malibu sedan, a simple pump of the accelerator will prove naysayers otherwise.

To further support the rumors, the Commodore, the SS’s Australian cousin, currently features the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine, which offers 638 hp and powered the last Corvette ZR1.

New footage has been caught of the upcoming 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sports car – in two different colors and without any camouflage whatsoever – soaring around the track at the Nürburgring complex in Germany, and you can watch it on YouTube or below.

It’s clear from the footage that the model is well on its way to being finished, if it’s not already completed entirely. In fact, it’s safe to assume that the model in the video will be extremely similar if not the exact model ultimately available for purchase.

In the video, we can see two different versions of the ZL1 model, one of which is said to use a 10-speed automatic transmission, while the other uses a six-speed manual transmission, presenting at least two options for drivers.

We hope that this means that more official details, photos, and videos of the model are on their way, but in the meantime, this spy Chevy Camaro ZL1 video footage will suffice. Since we can enjoy the goose bump inducing sound of the supercharged 6.2L V8 that cranks out 640 horses.

To learn more about upcoming Chevy models, visit us anytime at Bill Roberts Chevrolet the “Dealer You Can Trust”

While most people do their best to apply sunscreen to their exposed skin when they have plans for a long day at the pool or the beach, many of us skip it during one of the most sneakily dangerous times of the day: while we’re in the car, where we spend a great deal of time.

While windshields are made of glass that is particularly effective at blocking both types of UV rays from the sun, side windows and rear windows are not, with many blocking less than half of UV rays.

10This means that the entire time you are sitting in your car, you are constantly exposed to dangerous UV rays. This could lead not only to sunburns, but also to premature skin aging and even skin cancer.

To avoid the effects of UV rays, be sure to apply sunscreen before car trips, especially longer ones, and consider keeping an emergency supply of sunscreen in your vehicle. The mere seconds you spend applying sunscreen in the car will be worth it!

For more safety tips, visit us anytime at Bill Roberts Chevrolet. We are the “Dealer You Can Trust” so let us show you just how much we care about our customers!

One of the stressful parts of owning a car is keeping up with the maintenance. Even if you come in for regular service, there’s always the chance that an unpredictable issue might come up.

But are all issues unpredictable? Not according to Chevrolet, who introduced OnStar Proactive Alerts, the industry’s first predictive technology that allows your vehicle to warn you about potential maintenance needs before they even occur.

OnStar Proactive Alerts is inspired by the technology used on the Boeing 787, which sends in-flight messages to ground crews about parts that need inspection before the plane arrives. When Chevrolet owners opt-in to the service after buying a car at Bill Roberts Chevrolet, the system will continually monitor the health of the vehicle’s fuel pump, 12-volt battery, and starter motor. If any anomalies are detected, OnStar will notify the driver to take their vehicle in for service. This will help owners catch otherwise hard-to-detect problems and save on repairs.

“With Proactive Alerts, we now can offer customers even greater peace-of-mind by taking the guesswork out of when to service their vehicle,” said Steve Holland, GM chief technologist for Vehicle Health Management.

ChevySmallCars.com is a new website dedicated to young consumers and Chevrolet small cars including the Sonic, Spark, and Trax.

Chevrolet claims that buyers of these cars are likely to be first-time car customers who are “socially savvy” and also more likely to stay with the brand as their needs and lifestyles change.

“We’ve introduced a lot of new vehicles in the last few years and the new website is a great way to expose a portion of our portfolio that not everyone knows about,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of cars and crossovers.

The new Chevy website features skits produced by Funny Or Die and is hosted by comedian Al Madrigal. The site also includes personality tests that match you with a car, creative customizers, and more. All of the content is designed to engage younger customers in a way that allows them to discover the brand on their own terms.

If it makes you want to explore the Sonic, Spark, or Trax even further, schedule a test drive at Bill Roberts Chevrolet!

Under the hood of the 2017 Camaro ZL1 lies a new supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 640 horsepower, which is actually 60 horsepower more than the previous Camaro ZL1. The 2017 Camaro ZL1 will compete with the Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcats, as well as the Ford Mustang GT350R that’s good for 526 ponies.

Mark Reuss, GM’s executive vice president of global product development, stated “The Camaro ZL1 is designed to excel at everything…It will compare well to any sports coupe, at any price and in any setting.”

Chevrolet states that the new Camaro ZL1 performs better than the outgoing model and is more aerodynamic. Greater airflow is allowed through the design of the lower grille opening. The new Camaro’s large front splitter, wing-style rear spoiler, and wide front fenders all help improve aerodynamics and stability.

The hood is also improved, as it now has a carbon-fiber insert and heat extractor, which helps keep the engine compartment cooler. The design also includes the open bowtie insignia on the upper grille.

We at Bill Roberts Chevrolet Buick are stunned to see so much ‘muscle’ added to the ZL1. Visit us to see this truly powerful vehicle!